Behind Blue Eyes
by Those-Heavenly-Tears
Summary: Kushina is back and she's come for the one thing she left behind. Her son, Naruto. Slight NaruHina and mentions of MinaKushi. "Part Two"
1. Part One

I could already see them.

The gates of my old home.

The gates that led to the village where I found the man I loved, had my first child, and nearly gotten killed.

I could remember it just like yesterday.

_"Kushina, " Minato said as he looked down at our baby, "I want you to run away from here. Back to your home, to your family!"_

"Minato, you and Naruto are my family!" I yelled at him, tears streaming down my face." I can't go back there! Father was mad enough when he found out I was in love with you! Please, Minato, whatever you're planning, for God's sake, don't do it!"

"Please, Kushina! Just listen to me!" He paused. "I'm going to seal the Kyuubi in him, Kushina. I promise you, when, and if, he might survive from this, come back to Konoha in sixteen years, and take him back to the Whirpool Country! I want him to be seen as a hero, and not shunned by what I'm about to curse him with. But I think that the village might see otherwise. I also don't want anyone to know he is my son. He will walk in my shadow forever and be sought out by all my enemies." He looked up at me, before kissing me lightly on the lips, the last kiss from him I would ever recieve. He held the bundle out to me, so I could see our gorgeous son, my baby. My Naruto. He had soft blond locks flowing off his head, and when he opened is eyes to me, they were the beautiful blue that was caught in between my lightish blue and Minato's darkish color. He starting crying, and I instictively reached to soothe him, touching his soft baby cheek lightly, calming him down instantly. He seemed to nuzzle againest my hand, his nostrils widening as I realized he was breathing me in, even though I only smelled of childbirth, sweat and tears, and a little bit of my light flowery essense. But he was pulled away from me, and I almost reached out to grab him.

Before I knew it, Minato was walking away from me. He was walking out of my life.

I walked throught the gates slowly, relishing in the warm summer breeze.

I almost spread my arms out, but instead I pulled at the rubber band on my wrist and tied my hair up as it swept along in the wind. My clothes blew in the wind as well.

Today I had on a light blue sundress, with my shinobi jacket over it, and black leggings under it. My jacket was a dark blue with the Uzumaki Clan symbol on the back, which was to wave lines going horizontal and a spiral blended into them. I had my headband tied around my neck with the same Whirlpool symbol on it. On my back I had a black colored katana, with a red sash flowing off the handle. On my feet I had white shinobi sandles. On my ankle I had a tatoo of the leaf symbol on it, with a fake scratch with tatooed blood seeping from it. That one, I got when I came back to my homeland.

Whirlpool is a small island off the coast of Lightening Country. We own one huge bathhouse, where tourists come and bathe. We make tons of money off of it. Also, we have tons of fine imports, like furniture and fancy food. My father is the 'head honcho' of the whole thing. He was extremely unlucky because he he only had children(me and my sister, Kasui) and then my mom died. He never remarried. He taught my sister and me in the arts of running a buisness, taking care of the bills, handling the employes and being able to handle all the pressure.

But I did'nt want to do that. I wanted to travel and be a ninja and save people and FIGHT. I wanted to learn techniques and meet new people.

Of course, my father did'nt agree. We had a huge fight one night when I was twelve and I stoyed away on a boat. I traveled through Lightning Country and ended up in Konoha. I made plenty of friends and I met Minata. We fell in love, and was about to get married. Then I got pregnant, we got married and then the Kyuubi attacked. I had to give Naruto to Minato to seal the Kyuubi in him, and then fled back home.

As I walked through the village, I knew that most would not recongnize me. Unluckily, some did. And when they did, I heard gasps. People whispered, yet I ignored them. Some started following me. I wished they would leave me alone. I only wanted my son. My baby...

Some things in the village had not changed. The houses looked a little remodeled, but they still held a familier essence. Taking a deep whiff of the air, it smelled of leaves and warm summer blossoms, and a nonstalgic feeling rushed to me, from my nose to the middle of my belly. That warm feeling I felt everytime I breathed this country in. I reminded me of Minato. His sweet scent invading my body.

I soon saw the Hokage tower. The Fire Country insignia carved into the front and a stairway to the right. I desended towards it and walked up the steps, entering into the cool seclusion of the building. Minato used to say that this was his destined home. He was made to be here forever. It did not last that long. But I still felt a small piece of him here, as tiny and fragile as I first held my baby.

_I walked through the corridors, rubbing my full stomach that I had under my blue maternity dress. My stomach bulged out, hardly unnoticable. It was the first thing people saw when they looked at me. The Whirlpool heir...The Hokage's lover... The woman carrying his child..._

I was barefoot and the carpet felt warm and fuzzy through my toes. Soon, I came upon his door. Knocking softly, I-

"Come in." A voice said. I was awoken from my thoughts. Pressing my forehead againest the door for a moment, I pulled back, grabbed the brass door knob in my hand, turned it slowly. It opened, and I stepped inside. I saw her. The hime of slugs. The big chested sake drinking blond woman that saved my life the night I delivered my baby.

Lady Tsunade was the Hokage...?

It was something I pondered over slightly for a moment. I wondered how someone as careless as her had replaced my dear Minato. Yet, when I thought I did'nt believe it, it was the one thing I did want to believe in.

She was looking down at the moment, her hands pulled out in front of her, propped up on her desk were her elbows, her hands folded together. She looked up and I heard a gasp. A chair was knocked over, thumps on the floor was heard and sobs were made.

Tsunade held onto me. Her sobs shook my body and hers and her arms wrapped around me almost made me gasp for air. I could'nt breath. But the embrace was so nice. So comforting. It truly felt like home. I gently wrapped my arms around her.

"Kushina..." Tsunade said in between breaths of air."I-I-I thought we would never see you again...Oh Kushina!"

After I had calmed Tsunade down, she sat down calmly on a couch next to the window, and patted a spot next to her. I took that as a signal to sit down, so a walked over and put my hands under my bottom, spread my dress correctly, (so it would'nt fold under me incorrectly), and bent my knees under me, folding them down gently. I layed my hand on Tsunade's, and she gave it a gentle sqeeze. Her eyes showed much needed comfort. I would need it when I met my baby...

"So, Kushina, tell me all about your journeys. Why have you all of a sudden decided to show up? Is there a problem in the Whirpool Country?", Tsunade asked, the anticipation showing clearly in her voice. I was even exited to tell her.

Clearing my throat, I began."Well, Tsunade, after Minato...passed on...well...I promised him I would go back home. I promised that I would'nt come a step near Konoha until sixteen years passed. It was his dying wish. After you left, I ran to the forest, I ran away, as the fox attacked, God, I was so scared...I ran as fast as I could, but I had a sinking feeling in my throat. I felt that Minato's choice was...downright wrong ! How could he...how could he sacrifice our child for the village? It still makes no sense to me. But I don't regret anything. So, I ran home. I stayed for sixteen years. And now, I come back here. To the place I had my child, to...", I paused, and then breathed out,"to bring him home with me. I want Naruto. Minato said that after the sixteen years had passed, I would go to Konoha and if Naruto was still alive, I would bring him back to the Whirpool Country. I did'nt matter whether or not he wanted to. Minato wanted Naruto to come home, to his real home, in the Whirlpool Country, with me and his family." I breathed again."I know that maybe there is a chance that Naruto might not be alive. I know he has had the Kyuubi sealed in him, but if he is still alive, Tsunade...", I looked at her in the eye, making sure in was a perfect intense glare,"I will bring him home Tsunade. No ifs, ands, or buts.Or ors."

Tsunade looked at me. I stared at her. She stared back. Finally she said,"I would send for him, and I would tell him to go to his apartment and pack, Kushina, but...he's not here. I sent him on a mission. I don't know how long his team will be gone. I'm sorry." She looked down sadly."I used to think you were'nt alive. Sometimes, I wished you were'nt, because I would be jealous of you. I pretended he was my son. He called me Tsunade-obachan. He rescued me from myself. He holds my grandfather, the first Hokage's, necklace on his neck. He's brave, strong, cheerful, loud, flamboyant, happy, and he would do anything to save his friends. He has a nindo."She smiled."He wants to be Hokage. So he can surpass Minato."

Soon, before I knew it, I had closed the distance between us, pressing my body againest hers, hugging her tightly."Oh, Tsunade. I'm the one who's sorry. I almost feel like...like I'm stealing him from you."

Tsunade jerked away from me."Kushina, don't ever say that. You are his mother. Not me. I could never replace you. Never in a million years." She flicked her finger againest my nose."Don't ever think that I could replace you." She got up off the couch and walked over to her desk."Now..."  
She looked up at me."...time to get your son back."

I was zooming through the forest, leaves brushing through my long red hair. The wind whipped my face, my hair was caught in my mouth, but I did'nt care.

I was going after my son.

I stopped, landing on a branch and crouched down.

Chakra. I felt it.

"What the hell is going on?" I thought in my head."This is where Naruto is supposed to be..."I looked up, and I knew horror could be seen in my eyes."Naruto!",I whispered. But I felt like yelling. So he could run towards me and fall into my arms. So I could cry and he could too, because I finally had my baby back.

I wiped my eyes. No way would I cry. I had come here to get him back. And I would. And no one would stop me.

Peeking behind my hiding spot, I saw eight people and a dog. They all had rain coats on, probably to sheild them from the rain storm earlier. One had his face covered and had glasses. Bugs fell from his sleeves, arms outstretched."An Aburame...",I thought silently.One had long dark blue-black hair. She had whitish lavender eyes. Immediatly I thought Hyuuga, maybe it could possibly my old best friend Hyuuga Miyazana'sdaughter. She looked exactly like her. Another person had brown hair and fang tatoos falling down his cheeks. He had a confused look on his face and the dog stood next to him."Defintely dog-breaths boy...What was him name?Kira?Kikaya?Kiba?Yes, that's it. Inuzuka Kiba was his name.",I scanned over them and also saw a pink headed blur. Looked like whats-her-face's daughter, Sakura. Haruno Sakura. Yep, looked like. Next there was a plain black haired boy."Christ, Tsunade could have atleast given me a list of the people on Naruto's team. What she'd think, I'd know all of them? Jeez, same old Granny...", I thought. I saw A gray haired man. Kakashi. Then I saw a man with brown hair as well, a helmet looking thing on his head, kinda like the thing the second Hokage used to wear. I sighed.

Then, in a blur, I snapped my head to the right. I heard a voice... What was it?

I saw...what was their name...? Ugh, I think it was Akatsuki or something, but hell, I was'nt sure. Maybe I was wrong. But this guy had on a black cloak with red clouds on it. Was'nt that the outfit they wore?Damn, I don't even know.Shit.These guys were after my son, and I did'nt even know half a bit about them and who the hell they even were.What kind of a mother was I?I was supposed to know this crap!

Then, the last figure I saw, face twisted in confusion, was a blond haired boy. Three whisker-scared marks adorned both of his cheeks and he had…those eyes. The color caught between my light blue and Minato's dark ones. I clenched my fists and clutched them to my chest. The boy had on a black and orange traing suit and one of the raincoats everyone else had on. He looked just like Minato. Sobs racked my body and hot tears streamed down my face.

"Naruto!", I whispered. I slowly leaped down my perch, and walked over to the gray-haired jounin that was once my Minato's student. I looked from behind his shoulder at the Akatsuki guy. He had on this ridiculous mask, orange and swirly. Haha, he looked so stupid. I wiped my face and smiled. I looked down and noticed Kakashi's hand. It was flicking towards me and I tapped it. He nodded his head. I leaped back to my perch, quickly and swiftly. I glided over behind the Akatsuki guy, and focused energy to my palm. It was blue and swirling, centered on top of my right hand. I grinned, raised my middle finger at him for all to see and when he turned around, I yelled "Rasengan!", and smashed in into his ugly face-covering mask. It hit him and he staggered away from me.

I laughed. "Take that, you ugly bastard!" He popped off in a whirling smoke. I twirled, dress swaying and turned around, pointing my hand in a gun-shooting postition and blew at it, flashing a smile at everyone. "Ta-dah!", I laughed.

A hand poked my shoulder and I turned to look and before I knew it I was the one staggering back, my face held gently in my hands. I pulled my hand back and spit. Blood spattered on the tree branch I was on. I wiped the blood off my lip and held my hands up. A few handsigns flew in a flurry. Then I leaned back, flew my palms back quickly and fell. I promptly landed on my hands and backflipped back a bit and gathered some water from the stream nearby. I motioned it over with my palm, looked over at Kakashi whom had his Sharingan revealed and was doing the same next to me.

He looked at me and nodded. "I'm glad you're back, Lady Kushina. Did the Fifth send you?"

I laughed out loud. "HAHA, nah, it's more like I sent myself!" We laughed.

"Cocky as ever."

"Hell to the yes!", I yelled.

And it was on. We sent our water dragons his way and guess what the little bastard did?

He dissapeared. Just like that.

I put my arm over Kakashi's shoulders. We laughed. "It's been too long, has'nt it?"

He smiled, closing his one visible eye. "Yes, way too long. I have'nt seen you since the Kyuubi attack. When you left after-", he looked behind us, and I did too. I frowned. Naruto. He was walking, staring down at the ground. He looked a bit blue and I seperated from Kakashi and walked over to him.

"Hey.", I said. He did'nt look up. I peered at him closer. "I heard from Kakashi that this mission was important to you. Sorry."

Nothing. I sighed. "Hey, listen-", I grabbed the back of his headband and pulled his head up and he looked at me, clearly annoyed. I leaned in to his ear, halting him. We stopped and Kakashi looked at us and I winked. He nodded.

"Come on, everyone.", he told the rest of them. I smiled.

"Listen closely, because I'm only gonna say this once. You have no idea how strong I am. I'm five times stronger than Kakashi and twice as strong as you. I can make you Hokage level in a few years time. But I'm rusty. So, tommorow...", I leaned away. "...we begin you're new training, Uzumaki Naruto."

I started to walked away and he caught up to me. "Who are you?"

I laughed. "Kushina." I paused. "My last name is'nt really neccessary."

He nodded. For the rest of time as we walked, we chatted together.

"So, how do you know Kakashi-sensei?", he asked. I blew out a gust of air.

"For a long time. Since he was younger than you. I knew his sensei, the Fourth Hokage, Yondiame. So we became fairly close. We sometimes went on missions together; he was a jounin when I was, even though he's atleast-" I counted on my fingers. "-ten years younger than me."

Naruto looked shocked. "You're forty?!", he yelled.

I socked him. "Say that again and you won't have a tongue to talk with, idiot."

We were silent for a while.

"What kind of person was the Fourth, Kushina-san?", Naruto asked me. I tapped my chin.

There seemed to be so many words to describe him. Charming. Hansome. Sweet. Kind. Gentle. Strong. Overall a good person. I loved him. I missed him. I smiled, closing my eyes and twisted my face towards Naruto.

"Ah, he was a good person." I said. Really, there was'nt much else I could say without disobeying about twenty rules. So, opened my eyes and Naruto seemed satisfied. He had taken his headband off his forehead and was looking at it, smiling.

I blinked and saw Minato. Doing the same thing Naruto was doing. I blinked again, and he was gone.

Again...

"KUSHINA!", someone yelled. My hands flung to my face, but the same time as a pillow slapped me on the face. It moved out of my sight and feathers had flown everywhere. One landed in my mouth and I spit it out. Tsunade.

Damn you, which is probably what my face said right then. She laughed.

"Come on, you promised Naruto you would train him.", said Tsunade. I flew up from the bed and ran to my backpack in search of those training clothes I packed.

"SHIT!", I yelled. I looked at her. "Why the hell did'nt you tell me earlier?!"

She shrugged. "I just love torturing you, I guess. But you need to hurry up. I tried waking you up earlier, but you're like a rock." She held her hands out in front of her and it looked like she was pushing up againest something. "Hard to break, yet it only takes one blow." She socked her fist through the air and I sighed.

I went to the bathroom and thew on a pair of black running shorts and a blue tanktop. I wrapped my hair in a tight bun and patted it lightly before taking out of my bag a simple headband. It was blue and long, like a bandanna and I fingered its fabric and metal with my fingers. I tied it loosely around my neck and popped a white sweatband around my wrist.

"Oh, and you might have more than one student.", said Tsunade as I left from the bathroom. I spun around.

"I'm only supposed to be training Naruto! How am I going to train--", I paused as we walked out of the Hokage Mansion to see Naruto in a pair of army cargo pants and about twice as many of his friends as I saw yesterday. I even saw Kakashi, his face burried in his pervy book, cheeks pink. I saw that guy, Yamato, smiling slightly. "all...these...people..." I uttered.

"Hey, Kushina-san!", Naruto yelled to me. He waved and walked over to me.

I was not in the mood for the 'Heys and that crap. NO WAY.

I was in the mood for some serious ass-beating training, and by the end of the day, their sweat would be sweating!

I put my hands on my hips, in a kind of 'I'm ready!' sort of gesture. But in my mind, chaos erupted.

"I hope you don't mind, but when I told all my friends one of the strongest people in Konoha was going to train me, they sorta tagged along!", he smiled and I smiled back.

Naruto was my son. Geez, even though I wanted to pummel him right then, I resisted and lifted my hand and ruffled the hair on his head. He was about as tall as me, a few inches shorter. I looked in his eyes, that beautiful blue.

He looked at me curiously, before shrugging it off.

I sighed. "I guess there really is'nt much I can do about that. So, I'll try to do the best I can." I laughed and Kakashi walked over to me, and leaned into my ear.

"Lady Kushina, I hope you did'nt forget the Naruto has the Kyuubi inside him.", Kakashi gestured to Yamato. "I brought Yamato along to make sure nothing got out of hand."

I nodded. "Great."

I pulled away and stood in front of them all. "Okay, everybody! Warm up laps around Konoha!"

Soon, I heard yells, and these two idiots clad in green jumpsuits starting cheering.

"OH, THE POWER OF YOUTH!", the bigger one said. I believe his name was Gai.

"YES GAI-SENSEI!", the smaller one replied. "YOUTH SHALL BLOSSOM IN ALL OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS HERE!!"

"LEE, FEEL THE YOUTH RUN THROUGH YOUR VEINS!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

GAI-"

And then I banged them on the heads and they fell to ground. I looked at everyone else.

"Alright, if anyone else says 'youth' one more time, I will haunt you! COMPRENDO?!", I yelled.

Tsunade covered her mouth with her hand. I heard her utter quietly, "Youth..."

My face boiled in anger. But I held my sweatband to my forehead and sighed.

I changed my gameplan. I would train Naruto and just Naruto. Maybe I would tell him who I really was. Maybe we could get closer. Then I could bring him to Whirlpool...

So, I wiped my hands on my shorts, put my hands on my hips, held my face down.

"Okay, everyone except the twirp with the blond hair..." My face flew up immediatly. "...GET OUT OF HERE!!"

I literally blew wind. I breathed in, breathed out, and rubbed my temples.

"Please...just go.", I said slowly. The wind blew around us, and Tsunade put her hand on my shoulder.

She whispered something to me. "Kushina...", she smiled. "...be careful."

And they left.

"Again!"

"Got it!"

Naruto channeled his charkra into his hand without a clone. It was unstable and dissapeared quickly.

He just could'nt seem to make one without a clone. Everytime he tried, it was the same. Fail. I tried to teach him to keep solid breaths and to focus, but he just did'nt get the concept.

"Again!", I yelled.

He did'nt respond.

The Rasengan charged into his fist. His arm started shaking and he grabbed it with his other hand. His arm shook.

"AH!", he yelled. The Rasengan dispersed and he fell to ground. I swooshed behind him and caught him. He was sweating terribly and I wiped his forehead. I took his headband off and combed his hair with my fingers. He was panting. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I stared into his blue eyes and he stared into mine. His head rested on my lap. His head fell to the side towards my stomache and and he breathed heavy.

"You did good, Naruto.", I said. I smiled, and he closed his eyes. "I'm so proud of you."

He smiled.

"Thanks...", he whispered.

It was silent for a while.

"Naruto, I'm not really telling you the truth. I'm keeping so many secrets from you.", I said.

Was I ready to tell him this? I was'nt sure.

"Naruto...", I brushed his hair away from his eyes. "I'm you mom...Your father is Namikaze Minato."

"My name is Uzumaki Kushina."

"I love you so much."

He did'nt answer.

"Naruto?"

Then I heard a row-boat noise. I moved Naruto's head to the side, and grimaced.

He was asleep.

I sat on the couch in Tsunade's office, biting my fingernails. I chewed off my thumb and then bit into it, and I drew back when I felt a metallic taste enter my mouth. My thumb was bleeding. I had bit the nail back too far. And it hurt like hell. But I just put my thumb back in my mouth and sucked on it.

I only chewed my nails when I was nervous. It was a terrible habit that I could not seem to break. I had scars on my fingers where I had bit on them, and the pink flesh was scared forever.

I looked up to see Tsunade, trying to work on her paperwork. She groaned, and I could relate to her. Written documents were never really my type of thing.

I walked up to her, and slamed my palms on her desk, startling her and making her look up.

"Let's go get some sake."

"Goddammit, what the hell!?", I said as Tusnade spilled some sake on me. We had been in a bar for the last 15 minutes and yet she was already stoned. Her voice was slurred, and I bet mine was too. I pulled off the barstool quickling, fumbling my outfit in my hands. My vision was blurried... I could'nt see straight.

I sat back down, but on the bar instead. I poured some more sake for me and her, and we drank it. I tilted my head back and let the warm liquid fall down my throat. I had'nt drank it a while, so when I had my first sip, I gagged back, feeling the urge to puke all over the bar floor. But me and Tsunade just kept drinking.

"Ya, know, I'm surprised Shizune has'nt found us yet, Kushi-chan...", Tsunade slurred as she poured us somemore drink."Usually she finds me by now. But, I guess today's our lucky day, eh?"

I nodded as I drank it down. It warmed my insides and my me tingly sorta, but I steadid myself on the bar."Yah. I remember, the kid always seemed to have a knack of finding us."

Me and Tsunade used to be drinking buddies. Whatever hell we were going through, we always downed with some sake in a local bar. Shizune usually found us, but sometimes luck would turn and Minato would find us. Or no one at all. And we liked it that way. We always talked about how crappy life was, how we felt about some guys, what someone did today that pissed us off. Laughs, tears, pain, and the ocasional comforting word was exchanged between us as we searched through the secrets of life.

"So, how was your training?", Tsunade asked. I slammed my cup down on the counter.

"He just does'nt get it.", I said.

"One handed Rasegan with no clones?"

How did she...?

"Stalker."

She laughed.

"I did manage to tell him the truth, though."

She suddenly seemed interested.

"Yeah, how'd he react?"

I laughed. "He did'nt. He passed out right when I told him." She looked at me strange. "I told him after he passed out."

She shook her head. "You need to tell him soon, Kushina." She poured some sake in both our cups and we downed them. "You might have very few chances, yet you need to use them wisely."

"What if he rejects me? Or calls me a fake? What'll I--"

"Everything is going to be fine, Kushina.", she refilled again, and I picked mine up. We clanked them together.

Somehow, I really thought she was telling the truth.

I slurped up my ramen in a hurried manner. It tasted so good, the warm flavor of Ichiraku flowed onto my tongue and down my throat. It settled me stomache and as I swallowed all the broth, I slammed my bowl down and belched. After I was down I sat back with my hands rested on my stool behind me and sighed happily.

Somebody nearby laughed and my head twitched to the right. There was a man sitting there, with blond hair and dark blue eyes. I blushed slightly.

"Oi, bastard, what are you laughing at?!", I yelled at him. He stopped laughing and looked at me strange.

"Oh, I thought you were a guy."

My eye twitched. This bastard was pissing me off.

"Oh, so you don't like my feminine appearance, eh?!"

He smiled."No, I did'nt say that.", he winked at me and I blushed harder."Though, if you were a guy, you would still be pretty cute."

What a sick perverted bastard! He was flirting with me was'nt he? Well, no, Uzuamki Kushina will not stand for it! No way in hell!

While I was busy with my metal yelling and bashing of this unknown bastard, he got up and quickly whispered in my ear,"Bye, shounen-chan."

"Why you-", I said, and before I knew it he was gone.

"Eh, Kushina!", I heard Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku say. I turned to look at him. The veins on his forehead twitched."What did I tell you about scaring off the other customers with your sailor's mouth!", I shuddered.

"But, Teuchi-san, I-"

"That's enough! You will pay for this bowl and your own dozen, Kushina! I don't care if you are my best customer! Pay up!" I dug into my back pocket and found a little bit of money, not nearly enough to pay for all the food I had eaten. I held it out ot him and he took it away from me and counted it and pointed to the back of the shop. I frowned and he pointed again. I sighed and hopped over the bar and he handed me an apron. I took it and wrapped it around me and took place beside his daughter Ayame in the back and started helping her wash dishes. When Teuchi left, I tilted my head to the ceiling, squinted my eyes, shut and yelled.

"BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME PAY FOR YOUR FOOD!?"

"KUSHINA!"

"Sorry, Teuchi-san..."

"No!"

"YES!" I said as I situated myself on my best friend, Hayou Miyazana's bed. Miyazana and I had met when I first arrived in Konoha. She was my guide and she showed me around Konoha and had gotten me addicted to Ichiraku ramen. She had dark blue-black hair that fell to her waist and green eyes. She had pale skin and dimples and blushed constantly. She had a black beauty mark under her right eye. When someone embarressed her, she became Miss Strawberry. I always had my laughs as she stuttered and scolded me. Her current man of choice was a stuck up Hyuuga named Hiashi. His twin brother was placed in the branch family while he was placed in the main family.

"Kushi-chan!", Miyazana exclaimed as she fell back on my lap, her tank top lifting up exposing her belly."You have finally found a man! I can't believe my little tomboy has grown up!", she cooed.

"Oh, shut up, Hyuuga-lover.", I growled in response as I pushed her off me. She fell on the floor, but not before I saw her flush bright red."Besides, I don't even like him. He was such a bastard! He thought I was a frickin' boy!", I said, and grabbed her hand to help her back up."He made me pay for his own food. I had to clean Teuchi's dishes! Now don't look at me and tell me that does'nt suck!"

"Well, it is partially our fault.", she replyed after she recovered from her fall."I mean, if you had'nt have eaten so much and been so rude to him, this whole thing might not have happened." I knew I was looking at her strangely."Well, it's true!", she said, waving her hands defensivly.

I pulled my arms up to my chest and closed my eyes and thought out loud."He was'nt even that good looking. He had that stupid blond hair and-those eyes! They were such a dark blue they looked black!", I pouted."Bastard called me shounen-chan! Next time I see him, I'm gonna tip him over and shove a mountain up his bean pole ass! And I'll do it in a dark alley where there are no witnesses!"

Miyazana laughed. She laughed that annoying cute-sy laugh that kinda sounded fake and yet was so real. I opened my eyes. But then she stopped. And she stared at me. And stared. And stared. Finally, she said,"Did you say blond hair and really dark blue eyes?" I tilted my head up and closed my eyes and thought for a minute and then shook my head real hard."And was he, like, really skinny?" I nodded again." And had-"

"A stupid bastard grin on his face that made me want smack him?! Yes, now what are you getting at?!", I yelled and my arms flew up above my head and I waved them like a maniac.

"Kushina! That man was no ordanairy b-b-bastard! That guy was Naimkaze Minato! As in the Third Hokage's promised succedent! He was the the sannin Jiraiya-sama's student! How could you NOT know him?!", she said and I put two and two together.

"WHAT!?", I said as I fell back and hung halfway off her bed upside down.

"I just called the most powerful man in Konoha a bastard..."

That night, I dreamt of what Naruto would say...when he found who I really was.

--

I woke up that morning, head thobbing, to see Tsunade in yellow flannel pjs and quilts strewn across her. I chuckled and got out of bed, walking to the bathroom. I stripped and hopped in the shower and washed my long crimson hair. I brushed my teeth in the shower and shaved my legs and under my arms.

I stepped out and shook my long mane out like a dog. Water splattered everywhere. I laughed and dried off and threw on some clothes. Blue shinobi jacket...light blue undershirt...black training shorts...Konoha headband around neck...

I looked in the mirror and winced. My hair hung down past my knees and was all knotted up. I combed my fingers through it, ruffled it a little and smiled. But before I stepped out of the bathroom, a finger tapped my shoulder.

I twirled around to see Tsunade, a brush in her hand. She grabbed my head and I squeled and she pushed me down on the toilet seat and brushed my hair. The first few brushes were painful; she kept pulling to hard and I tried to struggle away. She held me tight. When she finally got done my hair was parted on the side, with a clip holding it out of my face. It framed my face and showed off my perfect, red brows and my brilliant light-blue eyes. My sof pink lips were in a permanet pout and my cheekbones fit my face nicely.

Tsunade layed her head on my shoulder and I saw us both in the mirror.

"If you just try, Kushi-chan, you are beautiful." She smiled; fingered my hair. "Your hair, eyes, face, body type...Minato loved you so much." She finall let me go and when she did, she got her buisness done quickly and we headed out.

It was near lunch time, so me and Tsunade went to Ichiraku. It looked exactly the same. Teuchi looked older and so did little Ayame. They almost cried when they saw me. I slurped down four bowls of ramen. Naruto ramen.

Next, when just ended up walking around. We went to the market and looked at some of the vendors. They sold everything from clothing to food, and from jewlery to weapons. I took extra time looking at the blue kimonos, since about this time around the year, Konoha had the annual summer solstice festival. They had fireworks and dances and tons of delicous food. My mouth watered.

We got some dumplings from a vendor and started eating and walking at the same time. Every time one of us saw something, we pointed and we scuttled over and looked at it. I was still eating when Tsunade slapped her hands together. I looked at her in a what-the-hell fashion, and she spoke quickly.

"Everytime I go out, Shizune usually forgets to get the morning traveling reports. Which is basicly a bunch of paper that is put into list form that stated the names of the people that enter in Konoha. If I don't get it, Kotetsu and Izumo will kill me...And I would send for someone to go get it, but we're closer, so we'll just go stop by real quick.Ok, Kushina?", she asked and I nodded and we headed towards the front gates.

About thirty feet away, we heard yelling. It sounded distinctly familiar...

"No, listen to me! My sister is Uzumaki Kushina! I'm from Whirlpool Country and just so you know, you are talking to one of the heirs of Uzumaki Kaito, the boss of the Whirlpool bath houses!"

"What are you talking about,lady?! There is no Whirpool Country! I've never even heard of the name Uzumaki Kaito! Or Uzuamki Kushina!You're crazy!"

"No, I'm not! LET ME GO YOU BASTARD!

I started running. I nearly tripped, but it did'nt matter. I pushed around people and most cursed at me and others shoved me back. Tsunade yelled at me to wait and what the hell was going on, but I kept running. I ran until I saw a blob of soft silky red hair, and then stopped. My shoes skidded in the dirt and I fought to catch my breath. I reached out a fumbled againest the person for a moment. So familiar...Soon, I had the red blob in my arms, welcoming a tight warm hug to them.

"K-K-K-Kushina!", the person at least a half a head shorter than me stuttered. I gripped them tighter, and they relaxed againest me.

"Kasui..."

"...Yeah, but I bet dad's totally pissed. He was really upset when you left. I can't imagine was his reaction was when he found out I've gone missing, too!", Kasui laughed and food splattered everywhere. Me and Tsunade wiped ourselves off in disgust, but I laughed with my sister.

For a moment, I took a glance at her. Her shiny red hair tumbled down her shoulders, and over her backpack to fall to her backside. Huge silver bangles slid around her arms and jingled as she moved her hands animatedly, and ate her dumplings happily. She wore a long white jacket with the sleeves cut off, a dark blue blouse, and light baby blue miniskirt with a cut on the thigh with white outlining it. She had on black zori ninja sandles and smile lit her face when I hugged her ever-so tightly a few hours ago.

"Kotetsu, Izumo, what are you doing?!", Tsunade yelled as I pushed away from my sister. I still had my arm around her shoulder, and pulled her close again.

"L-L-L-Lady Tsunade, this girl came in and we did not recognize her and her headband, so we permitted passage from her into the village!", Izumo yelled.

"This girl is a nut, Lady Tsuande!" ,Kotetsu replyed."She came in here saying she had Naruto-sans's last name and said she was from this unknown land called Whirpool Country that we have never even heard of!"

"Boys, don't you realize something here?", Tsunade asked them and they looked at eachother and shook their heads 'no'. Tsunade clicked her tongue shamefully. "I have noticed that you boys have been very down lately, so I sent this wonderful new important comedian guest of mine to come and enlighten your day! I figured standing at the post all day must be extremely boring, so I decided to let you two have a good laugh." Tsunade winked at them. "Hope I did'nt freak you out!"

They shook their heads.

Kasui almost sent out a rude comment but I slapped my palm againest her mouth and shut her up.

"Good. Well, I hope you boys have a nice day."Tsunade starting walking off, but she turned around for a moment to look back at them."Now I know that you boys won't let any unknown visitors in the village. After all, you boys have a very important job."

I swear, by the time we left their ego became as big as Konoha could hold.

I smiled at the thought. I also chuckled a little. Tsunade and her devious jokes...

Kasui chucked her dumplings sticks into a near by trash can and patted her belly."Wow, that was delicous! I have'nt had that good of food since I snuck off to find you, Kushi!", she glared at me."I suffer so much for you, don't I?"

I ruffled the hair on her head and she looked up at me and her hands went up to my hair and she fumbled it for a while.

"Same hairstyle. Jeez, Kushi.", she said. I pushed my fingers in her sides and she doubled over laughing and me and Tsunade joined in.

Soon, when we had calmed down, Tsunade suggested that we go looking for kimonos. The summer solstice festival was soon, and she wanted to have a nice kimono to wear. I thought of earlier when I had spotted a beautiful white kimono across the street a while back and told my Kasui and Tsunade to go on ahead and that I had to go lok at something. They said okay and ran off giggling about what color they were thinking of wearing and I sighed. I was ashamed them.

My current friends were girly-girls.

When I had finally arrived back to the vendor, after searching forever between the cramped crowd, there was a girl with long blue-black hair standing in front of the kimono, fingering the fabric gently. For a second I thought she was Miyazana, but I stopped myself. I could'nt bear to remember my long-dead best friend.

I went up to the girl and tapped her shoulder and she whipped around and had a huge blush on her cheeks.

"O-o-oh, my, I-I'm so sorry, ma'am!", she stuttered and I smiled.

"No prob, I was just looking. Sorry I scared you.", replyed and the blush on her cheeks settled. She had lavender eyes and long black eyelashes. Her oufit consisted of navy training pants, black sandles, and a white and lilac jacket. I looked at her and knew why she looked so familier. She was that girl that went on the mission with Naruto! Maybe I could get her to help me tell him how I really was. I held out my hand."Uzumaki Kushina! Nice to meet you!" I closed my eyes and grinned.

"...", the girl did not respond, but just looked at my hand. I opened my eyes and my hand sagged down a bit. She started poking her fingers together."Well, I don't know how to say this, Lady Kushina-sama-"

"Just Kushina, please."

"-Kushina-san, but are'nt you the women that interrupted me and my team's last mission...? Not to be mean or anything...", she stuttered.

I laughed."Oh, no, not at all! I was just sent by Tsunade to assist you, but seeing as I scared off that Akatsuki person, I guess the only thing left I could do was send you all home!", I replyed.

She smiled. It lit up her entire face. "Alright then, Kushina-san.", she said and held her hand out. Our hands met and shook."My name is Hyuuga Hinata! Nice to meet you as well."

"Same here!", I said. We looked back at the kimono and sighed dreamily, dazed by it's beauty.

"Is'nt it beautiful...", Hinata said and I nodded.

The kimono was white and had purple and blue flowers embroidered in it. The obi was a deep indigo and I could imagine Hinata wearing it. With her hair pinned up with hair pins and fancy chop sticks, I would truly envy her.

"You would look beautiful in it, Hina-chan.", I told her and she looked at me and blushed.

"Kushina-san...!"

"No, seriously! You would look gorgeous.", I grabbed the kimono off the rack and grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her to the dressing room. I shoved me and her in, and closed the door.

"Kushina-san, I don't know about this..."

"Aw, it'll only take a second! I'll pay for it and everything if it fits and looks good on you! You can't pass up an oportunity like this! This kimono has your name written all over it."

Hinata blushed and gulped before she stripped off her clothes and I help her slide into the smooth silky fabric. It fit her figure and curved around her elegantly. I fingered in my pocket and pulled out a few hair pins and rubberbands and put her hair up. I started tying the obi when she started talking to me.

She talked about everything to me. I told her a little about me. She questioned why my last name was Uzuamki (hehe, oops). I shook it off.

She told me about her gigantic crush on my son and told me that she felt that she was in love with him. She told me she had admired him, and now, not only did she feel that, but she yearned for him to notice her. She told me he was a bit dense, because all her friends knew exept him.

"Hinata...", I said as I interrupted her mid-sentence and gave me her full attention. She sat down on one of the chairs in the dressing room. I sat across from her, and grabbed a hold of her hands and looked down at them. They were soft and smooth and her skin was a natural pale. Her nails were long and perfect, not a single blemish on her flesh."...what I'm about to tell you must never, EVER, leave this dressing room."

She nodded and confirmed what I had said and I breathed in for a moment.

"Naruto is my son..."

Nothing was said for a while.

We sat in silence, my hands and fingers curled together around hers. They were shaking slighlty as Hinata looked at me with an expression of pure shock. Her eyes widened, making them seem twice as white as they were. Her mouth was open and she shut it quickly.

"Hina-chan...?", I asked."Please say something. I need someone who knows him to give me their opinion."

Hinata looked down at our hands."Kushina-san...", she started. Her voice shaked slightly."All my life, ever since I met Naruto-kun, I have always watched him from the shadows. His...his pain was unbearable for him to hold. He has been treated harshly since he was a child." , she looked to the left and her feet shuffled." He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders sometimes. I love him...so much. Though, I can never admit it to his face, I will never deny it." She looked at me, her face stern."If you lie to Naruto-kun and hurt his feelings, I will make you wish you never had. Heed my words."

I looked at Hinata in shock and then I smiled."Hina-chan, I would never do that. By the way you responded, I can trust that you truly love him. I love him, too. He's my son..." I chuckled and gripped Hinata's hands tightly." I have'nt seen his face in sixteen years until just recently. You saw my reaction, you saw how I acted. Please, believe me, Hina-chan. Naruto is my son." I smiled."And I will prove it to you."

She looked at me in confusion before I helped her get out of the kimono, and untied her obi. I stood back, grabbed the kimono, and rushed out of the dressing room, leaving a red faced, half-naked Hinata behind me. I went to the manager vendor person and paid for the kimono quickly, nearly stopped by a fussing Hinata. She almost refused for me to pay for it, but I told her she could repay me later. By continuing to love my son like she did, I almost said.

I dragged her out of the crowded market and we headed towards the one place I knew Katsui and Tsunade would be.

We found them having a belching contest at Ichiraku, laughing their heads off drinking tons of water. Teuchi told me ever since me and Tsunade scared off all the customers once when we were drunk years ago, he forbade alchohol in Ichiraku. I still came because I was addicted to their ramen.

Ayame greeted me with a grin, saying her dad was in the back making some broth, so me and Hinata sat down. Ayame went to the back. I introduced Katsui and Hinata to eachother and then we all got serious and started talking.

"Kushina, does Katsui know about how...?", Tsunade asked before we started talking.

"Yes, and so does Hinata. I have to prove it to her though.", I looked at Hinata, who was fumbling with her hair.She was blushing and opening her mouth and closing it as if she was too embarresed to say something. I pushed it aside."Tsunade, is Naruto my son? Blood, clan, father, last name and all?", I asked.

Tsunade nodded her head and turned towards Hinata."It is true, Hinata. Kushina is Naruto's blood mother. His father was the Yondiame Hokage, Namikaze Minato. I'm not lying." Tsuande looked at all of us. "No one must know about this."

Because of the curtain around our heads, we did not see Naruto standing right next to Ichiraku. I heard him gasp and jumped up to my feet, and stepped out of the restaunt. He stood there, wide-eyed and staring."You're...", he sputtered. All the others got up from their seats and joined me.

"Naruto, you don't understand-", Tsunade started, but Naruto interupted her.

"You knew who my family was and you did'nt tell me?!", Naruto shouted. Before we could respond, he ran off into the barely sunlit village, and I sprinted off in the opposite direction, tears spraying behind me.

The girls had followed after me, and we all walked to the Hokage mansion. We ended up lying around it some borrowed pajamas from Tsuande, eating popcorn and watching old romance movies. I was still crying, seeing his reaction play over and over in my head. His face was burned into my mind. I was scarred...

And I was scared. My son hated me.

I flopped down on the bed, burrying my head in the blackets, and nodded of to sleep.

I woke up the next morning, my eyes matted together from my tears. I looked to the left and saw Tsunade's bed made up. I sat up and rubbed my head, and wiped some drool off my chin. I noticed a note on the bed and grabbed it and opened it. It read:

Kushina

By now, you are awake, and Hinata and Katsui have gone shopping together and I have gone back to signing boring old paperwork. Shizune said I skipped out on too many days of work, so now I have paperwork piled to the ceiling. Ugh, the things I do for you.  
I tried to contact Naruto, but he won't respond. I don't really think he was mad, but just upset. Once he cools down, we can be able to reason with him.  
And don't worry, everything will turn out fine. I promise, I caused this, and I will fix it.

Tsunade

I sighed and got up to begin my daily rituals. I got a shower and brushed my teeth and hair.

It was much earlier than I thought it would be when I stepped outside. The fresh air felt good to breath in my lungs and I felt as if I was drinking water just breathing. The air was so humid. I drank it up.

There was still fog outside, it was so early. I pushed past it, walking along. I did'nt even realize where I was going.

All of a sudden, I felt myself climbing up dirt stairs. I was brought back to reality as I got to the very top to see the entire willage in all it's glory. I sighed and looked to the right. Naruto stood looking at me, his eyes glaring, pooling into a deep blood red.

And I was frozen

My arms draped by sides, my body not moving. My heart stopped beating, and I stopped breathing. All I could do was stare into Naruto's blood-red eyes, and felt tears pour off my face.

A low growl elicited from his throat, and I winced. My spine tingled and I felt shivers run through my body.

So...this is what the Kyuubi was first hand. I had never seen it before, except in pictures and old scrolls. And I had dreaded the day I would see it. But, now, I saw it in my son. And me and Minato were the people who had cursed him with this burden.

I started humming, silently. I curled my fingers together, and dug my fingernails into my palms. I hummed the same thing I hummed to him when he was still in my womb, late at night, when Minato was asleep next to me. I wanted more than anything for him to know who I was, and love me back. I found it hard for him to now...

I reached my hands out at him, looking for some way to touch him, and to let him know everything was alright.

I stepped forward and he growled at me."Stay away from me!", he yelled.

I ignored him and kept humming, and touched him on the shoulder, barely, and he flinched. But I held on.

I gulped a huge knot down my throat and breathed in deeply. My fingers held onto his shoulder in a vice grip, and held on tight. He tried to struggle me away, but I held on-persistent to make him understand.

His eyes looked at mine. And I looked at him and in one motion, I pulled his body into mine, and gave him a crushing bear-hug, and kept humming. I shhh-ed him and let my tears fall on his jacket and he burried his face in my neck, and folded his arms around me stiffly, like he did'nt know whether to or not. I felt his tears soak my shoulder, and I smiled.

"Naruto,I'm so sorry.", I told him and he nodded, and I found an odd comfort as he sobbed and I cried quietly. "I love you so much. I did'nt want to leave you, I did'nt want you to be burdened like you are. I wanted me, you, and your father to live happily together, so you would'nt have to go through the pain of being alone." , I said and he sobbed more and nodded. "I regret everything I have done to you, but please Naruto, please forgive me...I'd give anything to know that you love me, even after all I've done to you..."

Suddenly, I felt light-headed. I grabbed my head, and Naruto looked at me in confusion, tears rolling down his face. My eyes rolled to the back off my head, and all I could see was darkness...and his picture floating in my mind.

I woke up to staring at while ceiling tiles. My head banged without mercy and I grabbed it and massaged my temples. I tried to sit up, but my arms felt like jelly. I kept on massaging and looked to the right to see Naruto laying on a couch next me, a blanket throw half-hazardly around him. I looked at him before smiling and sighing in relief.

"I think I can finally say you did it, Kushina.", I looked over to the left to see Tsunade smiling, standing next to me, holding at least four vases of bright flowers."One from me and Shizune, one from Hinata, and one from Katsui. The other is onominous, so I don't know who left it." She put them all on a table next to me and smiled back at her.

"Good thing I know that what I did was'nt a dream.", I laughed, and looked at my son."I would have been pissed off beyond help."

Tsunade laughed heartily. "Well, Naruto just brought you in this morning. Said you had fainted right there on the spot. Right now it's about five o'clock in the afternoon, and Naruto has stayed here all day long. He wanted to know what happened to his mom...", Tsuande trailed off and I saw the hurt in her eyes.

"He loves you,too, obba-chan. You were one of the first people to love him.", I responded and Tsuande shook her head." I am proud of you for promising you would take care of him, all those years back."

"Yeah, I remember that. You were about seven months preganant and you told me if anything happened to you or Minato, I would have to take care of Naruto.", she said sadly, but in a reminiscing voice."I kept half of that promise. After you gave birth, I high-tailed it out of here, and twelve years later, this piggheaded want-to-be-Hokage brat comes to drag me back to Konoha. I thought you were dead, but, then again, I'm glad you are'nt.", she smiled."I don't know what I would do without my drinking buddy!"

We laughed until tears fell from our eyes and our sides ached.

Sooner or later, Katsui burst through the door, heaving and panting. She looked at me, then Naruto, then Tsuande and back again. Her face contorted with anger. "YOU GUYS ARE HAVING A PARTY AND FORGOT TO TELL ME!?", she shouted and Naruto woke up with a start.

I turned towards him and beconed with my hand for him to come to me and he did eventually. He got up from the couch and grabbed my hand and sqeezed it tight. I smiled at him.

Tsuande sighed. She looked at Katsui and hauled her over her shoulder and Katsui started fussing."Well, we'll head on. You two can have some time together. Take as long as you like.", she said and without further notice, she and Katsui were gone.

"So...", Naruto started to say, but I pulled him into my arms and hugged him tight.

"I love you so much, Naruto. Do you forgive me?", he shook his head and wrapped his arms around me.

"Yeah, mom, I forgive you.", he pulled away and sat on the hospital bed."And I'm sorry I got so angry with you. I...I should'nt have reacted like that. And if there's anything I can do to make it up with you...I'll do it without hesitation." He smiled."I never go back on my word. That's my nindo."

I thought for a moment."Well, Naruto, there is one thing you can do for me..."

"I still don't know why you're making me do this.", Naruto grumbled. I ignored him, and continued to fluff his hair. At one point I licked my fingers and was about to straighten a piece before Naruto realized I was about to slobber his hair to death, and had told me he did'nt need any help getting ready. Yet, I had ignored him and promised not to spit-ify his hair and he let me continue.

"Well, if you don't want to go, then I'll just go tell her that you are'nt going to take her to the festival...", I leaned back away from him and put my hands on my hips and sighed. Poor thing'll be devistated. And after all the time she took to get ready for this wonderful night with you." Naruto looked at me, a shattered look on his face.

"I don't want to hurt her feelings...but I-I'm not that good of friends with here. And, she's, like, allergic to me! Her face gets red and she faints everytime I'm near her!" Naruto rose his voice at me and his face flushed up from yelling a bit too hard. I rolled my eyes."It's weird, Kushina-"

"Mom."

"-Mom." I sighed heavily. After a few days together, I had to constantly remind Naruto I was his mother, not just some older friend of his he could lash out at. But, even though he tried my patience at times, I loved him more than anything. I could understand why he acted the way he had because all his life he never really had a parent figure. Well, I really should say most of his life, because for the last few years, Naruto has made many friends, or so he has told me.

The first few days together were a bit tough. I woke Naruto up every morning, now that I had moved into his little apartment built for one. Tsunade had protested, saying it was a lousy living space and she could buy me and Naruto something more suitable for us, but I refused. Me and Naruto needed something small to bond in, until I took him back to my home with me in Whirpool Country. I still could'nt seem to bring myself to tell him the sole reason I was here was to drag him back to a place totally foreign to him. Partly, because I thought he would hate me forever. The other part, was because I was scared. Scared, because I dreaded to meet my father's wrath when I came back home with my fifteen year old child after going missing--again.

When I had gotten back from my little 'adventure' to Konoha, my father had been furious. I was confined to my room for months, and my father did'nt trust me for a while. I hid the signs that I had been pregant just weeks before I got back home. I was terribly afraid of how my father would react when he realized his heir had fell in love, gotten married and that my son was a jinchurriki.

Naruto saved Konoha. Naruto puts up with the daily shit of tons of people hating him for saving them. I was so proud of him. So happy that I had carried the savior of Konoha in my womb and here he was in the flesh, keeping Kyuubi inside of him every single day. I knew I could'nt do it.

"Naruto, your father was a very stupid man. Yet, he was a kind person, and even though I hated his guts for the majority of the time he was with us, I learned to put up with it. Yes, I liked him a lot. And yes, he liked me back. But, sometimes, love is a gift wrapped-up behind folds of leaves and fog that we don't realize until it's too late. But, when we take advantage of the love we don't realize sooner, we find more than what we ever wished--ever dreamed--for.", I told him, and he nodded, but still looked annoyed and flushed in the cheeks. "Well, Hinata is beautiful person, and even though you might not like her now,", I leaned next to him, my mouth right next to his ear.", you might find out you love her later." I smiled and pulled away from him."Think about it. And if it turns out you don't like her, I'm pretty sure I can set you up with someone else."

Naruto laughed."What, now my mom is going to arrange dates for me? Ha! Very funny...!", I looked at him and his face went blank."Oh, God, you're serious are'nt you!? DAMN!"

"Naruto, language."

"You cuss all the time! Espeically on cleaning day when you found I out I had cup ramen under my bed,too."

I replied by throwing a dirty dishcloth at his head, and it hit while he was laughing. "Shut up, Naru-chan." I grinned. He absolutely hated when I called him that.

I peeked a look at the clock and rolled my eyes. I looked at Naruto, who was still trying to recover from my dishcloth attack, scowling from my cute-sy name calling. He looked ready to be someone's date...His outfit did look good on him...I had taught him how to behave to a lady, did'nt I? Yeah, I did. I was extremely proud. I practicly dressed my son for his first day--and I did a good job. I knew I looked like I was glowing.

"Well, I think it's time you go and pick up your hot date.", I said and pushed him to the door. "This is an A-ranked mission. Remember, no being greedy, cowardly and over courageous. And no talking with your mouth full and don't wipe your hands on your clothes. When she wants to hold your hand, you hold her hand.You walk her home and only a kiss on the cheek is exeptable. No lip-kissing on the first date. I will have spies everywhere. Good luck on your mission, Uzumaki Naruto. Peace be with you, fly safely, buh-bye!", and with that, I shoved him out the door, handed him a bouquet of flowers and shut the door with a slam.

"Finally.", I sighed. I quickly changed into my kimono. After giving Hinata my ideal choice, I had to search for something else. I ended up settling for a light orange kimono with red and yellow flowers on it, with a green and blue obi tied around my waist. My side-bangs where pulled back and separated and parted and some framed my face, while the other were held back by fancy chopsticks in a makeshift bun. Most of my hair just fell down my back to my knees. I smiled, and walked out of the apartment.

The streets were filled to the brim with people. I had to shove my way past most of them. I saw a few people, and Kasui would'nt leave me alone.

Kasui is seven years younger than me. She is thirty-three. Even though she is older than Kakashi, she acts as though she is a child. She looks like one, too, with her tiny body and childish face. She is really short, due to her premature birth.

She looks like me when I was young(er).

First thin I did was go to Ichiraku. Teuchi and Ayame greeted me eagerly and I ordered a bowl of ramen. I gobbled it up and drank the broth, then settled my bowl down on the table with an 'Ahhhhh'.

"I knew you would be here.", a voice said. I turned around to see Kakashi, his regular outift on. I smiled and waved slightly.

"Wanna join?"

He nodded and sat down next to me. I ordered us both a bowl, we cracked our chopsticks and ate.

"So, enjoying the festival?", Kakashi asked.

"Yep, it's nice."

"Hmph."

We sat in silence, only the sound of my slirping (and Kakashi's suttle quiet slurping) rang out in the small noodle shop.

"Kushina...", Kakashi started.

I finished drinking the rest of my broth and sat the bowl on the table.

"Yeah?"

Kakashi was blushing.

"Well...I was thinking...Maybe we could hang out together at the festival?", he asked, scratching his cheek with his index finger. "Maybe, we could go watch the young chunnin girls do the dance? And maybe watch the solstice together?"

My face got red. "Um, well, uh...", I started. "I-I guess."

He smiled behind his mask. "Great."

He payed for my food (wait, that's weird...) and we walked around a bit. I insisted we play some games, and Kakashi just shook his head. I led him over to the gold-fish game, where you have the paper net and you scoop up the gold-fish and put it in the cup. I knelt down and the vendor handed me a paper net.

My eyes followed a small little white and red gold-fish over to the side. He was swimming in loose circles. I grinned and scooped him up, craddling him in the paper net. He wiggled and Kakashi put the cup next to me and plopped the fish in. He swam in the cup's water and I cheered. The vendor smiled and handed me a orange teddy-bear and my gold-fish in a bag of water. I lifted the bag up to my face, pressing my nose to it, and smiling.

"Good fishy!", I said and he wiggled. I laughed.

Next, Kakashi and I went to the game where you throw a ball and knock the bottles down. Kakashi and I tried it at the same time, his hitting in perfectly, mine veering off to the side. I pouted, but Kakashi handed me his prize. A stuffed scarecrow. I laughed and swatted his arm.

"I'm having such a great time...", I thought to myself. Kakashi was throwing darts to hit balloons, pop, pop, pop. I smiled. "Why is that?"

He ended up getting another prize. He handed it to me, and I craddled it in my arms with the rest of our stuff. He smiled under his mask. It was a stuffed fish, with big eyes and sparkling scales. I fingered it lightly and then looked up and started to follow Kakashi.

We stumbled through the dense crowds.

"It should begin soon.", Kakashi said. I popped out of my daydreaming.

"Huh?", I said. "What is?"

"The Summer Solstice.", he replied.

"Oh."

We found a nice spot under a tree, a perfect sight of the moon looming over us. I layed my stuffed animals beside us.

"A bet it's gunna look cool.", someone said.

It was'nt Kakashi.

"Kasui!", I yelled. She frowned.

"Where'd ya get all this stuff?", she asked. She picked up my teddy bear and I snatched it form her.

"None of your buisness!", I yelled. Kasui looked at Kakashi.

"Hey, this your boyfriend?"

We blushed.

"God no, Kasui! He's just friend!", I squelled.

"Jeezum, don't yell.", she sighed.

"Um...", Kakashi started.

"Would you just go away!", I yelled.

Kasui pouted. "Fine." She got up and left, leaving me red-faced and Kakashi pondering.

"Just friends...?", he whispered.

I looked at him. "Kakashi, you're, like, ten years younger than me." I frowned. "I love Minato."

"I know."

And we stared up at the sky. Minutes passed, and finally the solstice started. It ended just as quickly.

Kakashi and I parted ways, and I realized something.

I had'nt seen Tsunade the whole day.

I looked everywhere and asked everyone, but no one seemed to know where she was. '

So, I decided to go look in the Hokage Mansion. I mean, she might be doing some important paper-signing crap or something.

I flattened my kimono down and walked through the hordes of people. The market was packed and cramped full. I could barely breath until I slipped out of the crowd, and headed to the Hokage Tower. I hopped up the steps, and nearly ran down the hallways. When I go to the Hokage Office door, I barged in, and Tsunade was standing facing the window. She was dressed in a yellow kimono with green flowers on it. She had a red obi tied around her and her hair was let loose, falling down her back. I stood there for a moment.

"Tsunade...?", I asked and she did'nt respond. Was this some type of joke? Was this not Tsunade? Was it an imposter? "Tsunade...it's me. Kushina."

"I-I-I k-k-know who you are-e-e.", she stuttered. She sounded like she was choking back tears. I took another step forward and noticed her body was shaking. Tsunade never cried. Something happened...I was scared to find out. But I pushed on.

"Tsunade, what's wrong...?", I asked. I walked all the way up to her all the way and put my hand on here shoulder.

"H-h-he's dead, Kushina. Jiraiya is dead!", she said and I pulled her close. She sobbed in my hair for a good while, saying words I could barely understand."He said he would come back...But he lied! We had a bet...I said he would die and he said he would come back to me...And I won! Why could'nt I get lucky during one of my gambling games...? It's all my fault he's dead, Kushina! All my fault...", she cried out to me. I patted her back and told her it was okay to cry.

Now I knew what Tsunade felt like when I cried. Right now, I felt like...a friend. Tsunade had never cried on me. I never cired often, but when I cried, I seemed so weak, so incourageous. I felt small and fragile, and just feeling someone's arms around me feel all better. I felt happy.

Tsunade eventually pulled away and wiped her face."Thank you, Kushina. I feel a lot better now." We were silent for a little while. "You remember Jiraiya, don't you? He used to train...Minato." She seemed to cough the word out, like it was hard to say. Like if she said it, I would break down.

I composed myself. Hearing Minato's name sent shudders down my spine, to my toes, and shooting back up, giving me a tickly feeling behind my belly button. "Yeah, I remember him. Minato and him were so close...", I smiled at the memory. "He inspired us to name Naruto after the hero in his first book."

"Come on, don't say that.", Minato said. I was in the kitchen of his apartment, putting away dishes, after his sensei Jiraiya, came and ate dinner with us. They where in the dining room talking. I listened in.

"I thought it was great!", Minato exlaimed. "Each chapter really seems like a page out of your own life, sensei. It almost reads like an autobiography." I smiled. Minato would always support his sensei. It seemed they were talking about the latest book he wrote. Me and Minato read it together. I was inspired.

"Yeah, but...", Jiraiya started, seeming a little confused at Minato's praise."It did'nt sell at all. Maybe I should try and sex up the sequel a little...That's my real forte after all." I nearly coughed out the rice ball I started chewing on. What a perv!

"The wasy the protagonist refused to give up, even a the end...That was really cool." Minato replied. The hero was brave and courageous, and the end of the book almost brought me to tears. Jiraiya was good writer, I had to admit."He's just like you, sensei."

"Heheh...You really think so?" Jiraiya asked. I peeked behind the door frame, to see Jiraiya's blushing in praise. Minato was making his head big.

"Actually, I was thinking..."Minato started. I stared at his back."We want to raise our child to be like the shinobi in your book!" I smiled. Minato layed the book down. "That's why we've decided to name him after the main character in your book. What do you think?"

"A-are you sure about this?"Jiraiya stuttered out. His hands flew out defensivly."It's just a random name I came up with it while I was eating some ramen-"

I stepped out from behind the doorframe and smiled. "Naruto..." I pondered."It's a beautiful name."

"Kushina..."Jiraiya started.

Minato turned around and smiled at me. My hand drifted to my stretched full stomach, and rubbed it. I smiled at it, and the baby inside fluttered.

"Haha...hoo boy..." Jiraiya rubbed his head in embarresment. I walked up to Minato and put my hand on his shoulder and put the other one on the back of my hip to steady myself."If I name him, that makes me his godfather, right? Are you sure you want that on your heads?"

"Absolutely!"Minato said."You are a man with true skill, an example we should all follow. I can't think of a finer shinobi than you."

Jiraiya beamed at us.

"And besides...", I started, and they both looked at me."...having my first child named after my favorite ingredient in my favorite food is something I have always considered."

We all laughed, our laughter ringing like bells in the early autumn breeze.

"He named Naruto...", I said."I will respect him for the person he was."

Tsunade decided to hit the hay and I did too. I went back to me and Naruto's apartment, changed my clothes and hopped into bed. I fell asleep quickly.

I opened my eyes, sat up and looked around. I saw a meadow, surrounded by trees and flowers, the sky full of fluffy clouds and a bright sun.

I squinted and looked to my left. Minato looked at me and smiled. My eyes seemed to fill with tears automaticly, but when I reached up to wipe them away, I felt nothing. Minato put his arm around my waist.

His shaggy blond hair hung loosely againest his head, and his nearly black blue eyes stared at me. His skin was still tan, and he had on his regular shinobi uniform with the Hokage robe I made him. I reached up to touch his face and felt it under my fingers, soft and warm.

I reached around and hugged him, kissing him on the lips. I pulled away.

"Kushina, it is so good to see you.", he spoke. His voice was exactly the same and I smiled."I missed you."

"I missed you,too, Minato. You don't know how much!", I exlaimed. He laughed.

"Kushina, I don't have much time. But I have to tell you something." I listened to him carefully. "Naruto is in great danger. People are coming after him. They will even try to kill you if you stand in their way. Kushina, you have to take Naruto to Whirpool. He'll be safe there."

"Minato, Naruto is loved in Konoha...! I can't just take Naruto away from that!", I yelled at him. He shook his head sadly.

"Kushina, there is'nt much time left. You have to take Naruto to Whirpool before it's to late...They'll kill him if you leave him..."

The bright meadow started to fade away. Minato reached out to touch me, yet his hand went through me. He started to fade as well.

"Take him to Whirpool...before...it's too...late..."

"Minato!"

"Mom, I need a little help here.", I sighed. I walked from the little livingroom in me and Naruto's apartment, to the little kitchen.

Naruto was crouched in front of the open refrigerator. Around him, all the cabinets and drawers were pulled open. I walked over to him and bent down next to him.

"What?", I asked impatiently.

"There in no food." I sighed. I looked in the refrigerator and to my surprise, yes, there was no food.

"Well, I guess that means we have to go shopping.", I replied. "We can't live off cup-ramen forever. I've tried."

Naruto chuckled lightly.

"Oh, yeah, I never asked you how your date with Hinata was. How was that, anyways?" He blushed up immediatly.

"O-o-oh, nothing. Just, you know-"

"What?"

"-stuff. Friend stuff. Nothing much, really." I laughed lightly.

"Well, I hope you had fun. I guess it's not really my buisness anyway."

I stood up and grabbed the keys to the apartment off the counter. "Well, I'm going to go shopping. Wanna come with me?" He did'nt respond. "We might see some of your friends there. Maybe Hinata. And, if you don't go with me, I'll probably pick out girly-food, like veggies and pasta, other than ramen."

He stood up quickly, running past me to the door. He looked back at me. "Well, come on! I don't want to starve!"

I chuckled as we walked out.

I pushed the buggy in the supermarket, which was packed sky-high (or so I thought) to the ceiling. Naruto was going around, throwing things in while I stood and thought about whether or not we should get it. He picked up everything from cup-ramen to cookies and pasta to toaster waffles. Most of it he was splurging on. He grabbed at least three or four of each. I sighed happily, yet in exhaustion.

After we had went on our grocery spree (after putting back at least thirty different kinds of junk food Naruto insisted we should get), I went back and picked some veggies, fruit, bread, crackers, meats, and some other stuff. To Naruto's dismay, we did'nt see Hinata. I got a kick out of him blushing earlier, and I wanted to make it happen again. So far, I seemed pretty good at match-making.

Well, after we went shopping, we went and got some ice-cream. I got an ice-cream sandwich, while Naruto got a double scoop cone of chocolate and vanilla. We devoured it quickly. Then we went and got some ramen. Then we went home.

At home, me and Naruto talked. Just about anything and everything, really. Once, we got on the subject of Whirpool Country.

"Mom, where exactly are you from, anyways?", Naruto asked me out of the blue.

I thought for a moment, trying to find a way to approach this at an easy angle. Ever since my myserious dream about Minato, I had started to wonder when or if, I would tell Naruto I was taking him away from the home he always knew. Yeah, Whirpool was a great place, but I was terrified how my father would react. What would he say when he found out I had a sixteen-year old son? I shuddered mentally.

"Well, Naruto, I'm from a little island off the coast really far away called Whirpool Country. Our family owns a hug bath house and we make a lot of money. You should go with me sometime, to meet your grandfather, and you're aunts and uncles. They would be happy to finally meet you." I knew I was lying.

Naruto's fists clenched together. He started shaking slightly. "Go...go there to...Whirpool...where our family is..." Naruto said quietly. I nodded.

"Yes."

"But...but what about my friends and precious people here in Konoha? I know they would miss me..."

"Yes, they would." I whispered. Suddenly, I felt as if I was Naruto's enemy and I was about to kidnap him and take him far away. "Your father wanted me to bring you to Whirpool after sixteen years. He told me it was to protect you."

Naruto shuddered."My dad...My dad wanted me to go there? Why? What do you mean by 'to protect me'?! I don't get this!", he yelled. I winced.

"I had a dream after I passed out at the Summer Solstice Festival. He told me that you were in great danger and that they would kill me if I stood in their way. That I had to bring you to Whirpool to protect you."I gulped. "It's the truth, Naruto, I swear...! I would never lie to you!"

Naruto pulled his legs up to his chest and burried his head in between them. His voice was muffled as he spoke. "How did he know...?How did he find out...?"

I moved closer to him and put my arm around him. "Find out what?"

"Akatsuki is after me, Mom. They want Kyuubi, so they can use it to take over the world, and kill people. They want it for their own selfish needs. They can extract the Kyuubi out of my body and when they do...I die.", Naruto spoke. I kissed the top of his head and pulled him close as he sobbed. He was scared. Scared because these people were coming to get him and kill him because of what Minato cursed him with. He was so young and yet he was going through all this pain, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He always tried to make things better. He always held his fear, and shared the love he had nver had when he was younger. He was always alone. Nobody seemed to care. Yet he was so nice, and caring. It made me smile.

"Naruto, I can make it so you won't be scared anymore. We can go to Whirpool Country together and you can meet our family.", I said quietly, whispering it in his ear. "I can serve you some of the best ramen in the world and introduce you to many people. You'll love it."

"Mom, what about my friends?"

"I'll talk to Tsunade and you talk to your friends." I grabbed his shoulders. "Naruto..." I felt tears come down my face. "...I want to protect you...I need to protect you."

He nodded.

The next day I talked to Tsunade. She hesitated at first, but once she talked to Naruto, she agreed. Naruto had a rough time explaining to his friends (and Hinata) about leaving. He said it was just temporary. He would'nt be long.

Right?

I knew we would be there a while.

Kasui decided to stay. She said that 'Whenever you two meet up with dad, you're gonna get it, and I'm not going to be there to have it done, too'. I knew dad would be mad. I just knew it.

Naruto was'nt going to stay forever. Just for a little while, until it was safe to go back.

Or until dad refused to take us in.

Me and Naruto packed quickly, and started towards the gates. Naruto's friends had already said goodby the previous day. I was relieved about that.

We walked out the gates, and I smiled.

He was coming home.

Naruto was coming home!


	2. Part Two

I stared at the map in hands closely, tracing parts of it with my index finger. I peered closer and closer and closer...

"AHA!" I exclaimed. My son, Naruto, leaned up to me and stared at the map.

"Why'd you yell?" he asked.

"I yelled because I found what I was looking for.", I told him.

"Hmm. And what would that be?"

"The next town." I said. "You see, I'm looking for someone. Just an old friend."

"Someone I might know?"

"Not likely."

We continued walking. We walked until we reached a town and it was starting to get dark. I yawned and Naruto and I decided to find a place to stay the night.

Well...we just ended up camping in the outskirts of the town. I waited until I heard Naruto snoring and got back up. I still had my everyday clothes on. So, I stretched and headed back into town.

I took the picture out of my back pocket, fingering it carefully. It was old, slightly singed on the edges. After Minato told me to go, I had to go back to our house. I gathered up about a dozen pictures and one was of her and me together.  
I soon arrived at a place of knowledge; I bar which looked familiar. I walked into it and took the photo out again. I walked up to the bartender and sat on a stool. He came over to me.

"Have you seen this person?" I pointed at her in the picture.

"It'll cost ya, beautiful." he snickered.

'Ugh." I thought. I took out some money and handed it to him.

"Aw, is this all I get?" he whined.

I slapped my palm on the table. "Listen, I'll pretend you didn't say that." I pointed back at the photo. "Have you seen this person?"

He shook his head. "No. I haven't. I would remember that face."

I nodded. "Thank you."

I sighed and went to get off the stool when--  
'I've seen her.", a lady said. I turned to look at her. She had black hair and green eyes. She had a cup of sake in each hand. She extended a hand out to hand me one of the cups. "A drink?" she asked. I took the cup and downed it. She sat next to me at the bar.

"She lives in the mountains. She heals the people in the next village and some travelers." she told me.

"I see." I replied. "Oh, what's your name?"

She held a finger to her lips. "That's a secret." And she smiled  
Soon I left and headed back to me and Naruto's tent.

Naruto yawned. "Mom, why are we up at 5:00 in the morning?"

I smiled and took his hand, leading him along. "Naruto, Naruto, Naruto...What am I going to do with a son whom is so lazy? Tsk, tsk, I'll have to whip you back in shape when we get to where we're going." I clicked my tongue, and he groaned.

"Ugh, don't even start. You're the adult, act like one." he said.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that."

"Pretend all you want."

We had woken up early in the morning to head to HER house. Supposedly, it was in the mountains. Not very far up, but not to low either...But, the exercise would be good for my thighs, which looked like they were a bit bigger from my ramen splurge I had in Konoha. I've always had a hard-to-manage metabolism, so I've to keep track of my weight constantly. I feel as though it's just another life labor I have to get put through. But Naruto? He burns calories without even trying! It's not fair! When I look at him, all I see is Minato. Maybe he had red roots in his hair? I should check...

I peered behind Naruto's head, just to get a glimpse to see if he actually got some red hair from me...

But that's when I noticed it. That building, situated on the side of the mountain. It was red and orange colors, built a bit like the buildings in Konoha. Of course. She was so predictable.

My eyes narrowed. I'm getting so old, the buildings now looked blurry...Ugh...Work, eyes, work...

There we go! "We're heading this way." I pushed past Naruto and headed towards the buildings, pushing past the underbrush and the tree limbs. Naruto followed.

And when we finally reached the door, I put my ear to it and listened...

"I don't hear anything..." I mumbled.

"They probably don't want you to hear anything." Naruto said in response. I pulled myself away from the door and cracked my knuckles.

"What are you doing?" Naruto asked me.

I grinned. "I'm gonna break the door down."

"Hey, won't that attract a lot of attention, though?"

"Naruto is using his brain, how wonderful." I laughed. Naruto frowned. "It's supposed to attract attention. It'll call the person I've been looking for out. Watch and learn..."

I put my palms to the door, sucked in some air and--  
"THAT IS RIGHT, I WILL BLOW THIS DOOR DOWN WITH MY IMMENSE STRENGTH!!" I yelled. I turned back to smile at Naruto. "Three...two...one--"

"NOOOOOOO!!" I heard her yell. And I grinned.

She ran out from the side of the building, arms waving, brown hair flying, herbs trampled under her feet, her basket shredded to bits. She yelled like a banshee and latched onto my arm.

"DAMN IT, KUSHINA-SENSEI, NOT AFTER LAST TIME!" she screamed. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW FRICKIN LONG IT TOOK TO REPAIR IT!? DO YOU?!"

I waved my hands in defeat. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Then she cried in happiness. "Thank God...I thought you would ignore like always..."

I smiled and shook her off my arm. My sleeve was getting wet from her fake tears of joy.

"Not after all we've been through, Rin."

"YOU WERE ONE OF KAKASHI-SENSEI'S TEAM MATES?!" Naruto yelled. We were inside Rin's home, drinking tea. I looked up at Rin and smiled.

Rin has short cropped brown hair, brown eyes and purple tape stuck to her cheeks. She is pretty easy-going, and one of the greatest medics you can come across...Which is why I found her worthy to run away from Konoha with me after Kyuubi attack. I took her in as my apprentice for a short time, then I let her go to start her new life. After all, I did have to stay away from my father long enough to conceal the fact I was pregnant with Naruto, right? That was the era when we traveled together for two years.

"We had some wild times back then, when we were younger.", she said. Naruto calmed down.

"Kushina-sama, where are you going?" I heard I voice ask. I turned away from the path out of Konoha to see Rin, a girl that Minato trained.

"I'm leaving." I told her. She smiled.

"Take me with you." she said.

I cocked my head to the side. "Won't they need you to heal the injured?"

A tear fell from her eye. "I-I need to get out of here, Kushina-sama...I need to get out of here...for Obito..." She held her head down. I sighed and came over and hugged her, right there.

When I pulled away, she was wiping her face with her hands.

"If you want to go that bad, let's go then."

"Kushina-sensei, where are you going?" I heard Rin say. I turned away from the forest back to our campsite. She stood in her pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"I'm leaving." I told her. She smiled.

"I thought so.", she said. "Where?"

I turned back to the forest. "To Whirlpool. To wait fourteen years to head back to Konoha."

"Yeah."

And we were silent.

Then I took my backpack off my shoulder and threw it at her, and she caught it.

"Keep my stuff, Rin. In there I have some weapons, my old katana, my anbu mask, some scrolls and my journal. Take good care of them."

She grinned. "Of course!"

And I started walking. "If I come back, assume that something has happened."

I knew she was bowing her head to me in gratitude. "Thank you for taking me with you that day, sensei."

I shook my head. "No, Rin." I turned back at her with a smile. "Thank you for asking me 'why'."

And I left.

I smiled.

"Those were good times.", I said.

"Yeah." she said. Then, she frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you here? What happened?"

I sighed. "I'll get straight to the point." I looked her in the eye. "Naruto is my son. He has Kyuubi sealed inside him. Right now, an evil organization, called Akatsuki, is after him and other Jinchurriki."

"Why are you here? Ya know, other than to tell me this."

"Come with us back to Whirlpool and when the time comes, come back to Konoha with us." I smiled. "We need a good medic like you with us at all times. Just in case."

Her eyes widened. "I can go to Whirlpool, but Konoha...?"

"I went back. Now you have to as well." I smiled. "We can't run away from our fears forever."

She looked at me like I was crazy. Then she smiled. "I'll come and help."

"YES--", I yelled. Then I grabbed my throat as I vomited. Blood splattered on the floor, on Naruto's shoes. I heard some voices yell. My eyes went blurry...I felt my head crash against the table and blood fall down my face...then, nothing. Just blackness.

My eyes opening slightly.

"I thought at first that you had yelled so much, you split your throat." Rin smiled sadly. "But it's worse than that. Much worse."

I Grabbed my head; felt bandages. I groaned and tried to speak. It came out scratchy, and I could barely understand it. I sat up.

"Don't speak. I've been taking care of you for the past few days. You're stable, but I don't know for how long.", Rin said. "You've been poisoned, sensei. I flushed out your system yesterday and had treated you with about all my meds I have. Nothing worked. That was when I realized it. A Poison I'm not familiar with." she looked at me. "Did you take any food or drinks from somebody? Somebody suspicious?"

It flooded back to me. That woman...at the bar.

SHe poisoned me!

But...why would she poison me knowing that I would go to Rin? She even TOLD me where Rin was! Maybe she knew Rin didn't have the stuff to cure me...Humph.

Ah, she's making me think...

I shook my head. Rin groaned.

"Damn, I thought you were smarter than that!" she scolded. I looked around the room for Naruto. "Oh, he's asleep in another room. He's been by your side since you passed out, so I made him hit the hay." She put her serious face back on. "What's weird about the poison is that it doesn't make you die immediately. It makes you weaker and weaker...Until you're entirely bedridden. Then you die. We don't have the herbs here to treat you, so we need to hurry to Whirlpool. I know from what you've told me that they have some nice herbs there." She headed for the door. Then she grabbed a bag off the couch and sat it on the bed.

"You're stuff, sensei. The stuff you left me.", she smiled." Get some rest. Me and Naruto will pack up and then we'll all leave tomorrow." she flipped the lights off and closed the door.

Before I drifted off to sleep, I looked at the things in my backpack. They were just as they were when I left them with her. My old katana. An older version of my current katana. Then my anbu mask. The last thing that the people I killed saw when they died. Then some shuriken and kunai. And some scrolls... Just some maps. And some notes I took. Then my journal. I opened it and read the first page.

:

Wednesday

Today is my first day in Konoha. I have decided to make a journal of my time here. And when I leave, I will stop writing in this. But for now, I guess I'll just write about the people I meet and the time I have here.

I am currently a teenager. I have red hair and blue eyes. I am really from Whirlpool Country, but some things happened, and I left. Now I live in Konoha.

I am thinking about becoming a ninja. It would be fun, wouldn't it? To see new places, and to fight! I have always dreamed of that... But I wonder, is there a price to pay for fighting for this country? What if I have to go back to Whirlpool? What will happen? I worry about these things all of the time.

Today, I had a wonderful time. I had been assigned a guide to lead me around Konoha, given to me by the Third Hokage himself! He is a nice old man, and he was so kind. He welcomed be with open arms. Maybe, when I'm older, I'll do the same to others. Maybe.

My guide's name was Hayou Miyazana. She is really beautiful, with long purplish-black hair and green eyes, with a black beauty mark under her left eye. She gets embarrassed real easily and I deemed her 'Miss Strawberry'.

She showed me to this great restaurant, named Ichiraku Ramen. It's just a little ramen stand, but the food was GREAT! I had never had ramen before...And it was so delicious! I have already went to the super market and bought a refrigerator full of instant ramen! I especially like the naruto ramen. Naruto is fish paste...And it's small and real cute and so yummy. I've decided I really like the naruto...But they don't sell instant naruto ramen at the super market!

I will make it my quest to find instant naruto ramen! I WILL!

I laughed. I remembered that! I can't remember whether or not I ever found instant naruto ramen... I decided to read the next few pages...

:

Monday

I haven't written in you, journal, in...five days! WOW! So much has been happening, I haven't had time to. Sorry!

I got enrolled into the ninja academy! My teacher's name is Ishimaru Hatsuharu, and he is so nice. He helped me out a lot, because I'm late enrolling. He says if I study hard enough, I won't have to repeat this year, because I came in a few months late. Everyone in my class calls him Ishi-sensei. It's super funny.

I actually have two teachers. I have another teacher other than Ishi-sensei, who is my tutor. Her name is Yuki Tsubaki. We're a lot alike. She treated me to ramen today...I had naruto ramen, as always. And she had beef ramen. We talked for a bit. She asked me if I had a skill I was good at, which really made me think...I told her my father let me take kendo classes for self protection. She smiled at that and said she'd see me tomorrow. Maybe she has, like, a surprise in store for me or something? That would be pretty cool...

:

Yes, I did take kendo classes. It was the only thing my father allowed! He didn't exactly approve of me becoming a ninja. He just wanted me to take over the family business. But, he just let me take kendo...for self-protection. This actually came in handy when I got to Konoha.

Yuki-sensei turned out to be a nice swords master. She taught me to use the sword for protecting myself and others. She even gave me my first sword.

She said I had a natural talent for swordsmanship.

Then I tuned the pages of my journal to the last entry.

:

Journal, I'm afraid it is time a say goodbye. I have written in you ever since I got to Konoha, but now, I am leaving.

Kyuubi has attacked. Minato took Naruto, and he told me that I have to leave. I can't come back until sixteen years later and when I do, I have to take Naruto back to Whirlpool. I managed to escape to the house and got some old photos...Some of Minato and I together. One of Rin and I. And then some of me and Minato's wedding.

Then I left the house, and was on my way out of the village when Rin and I bumped into each other. I told her what I was doing and now she's coming with me, as my apprentice.

For now, I shall tuck this journal into my backpack. That's all I can do right now.

The wind blew softly. I could smell the warm salty air of the ocean we were on.

"Oh, Kushina-sensei, this is beautiful!" Rin exclaimed. She reached her arms out and smiled.

"Yeah, I can't believe you grew up near here!" Naruto said.

"Oh, is that it?" Rin asked. She pointed to a dark-looking island a while away form us.

"Yep, that's Whirlpool. I say it's about a day away." I told them.

We all looked at the island, and I smiled.

--  
We landed the next morning and sleepily, Rin, Naruto and I loaded off the boat. I could see the bath house from the dock and it made me frown.

Was I ready to confront my father? Whether I was ready or not, I was going to do it.

We started walking up the island. I led the way. Soon, we crossed the bridge to the bath house and entered.

I saw a member of my family at the front desk, dozing off. I believe it was Kaiyu. She was sleeping soundly and I laughed quietly.

It was about 8:30 in the morning and everyone was mostly just waking up.

I gestured to Naruto and Rin and we started walking down the corridor to my father's office. I knocked on his door.

"Come in.", I heard a voice say. We all entered.

My father's head was down, looking at his desk. He was signing papers. He looked up at us and his eyes narrowed.

"Kushina.", he said. I gulped and walked up to him.

"Father."


End file.
